Spatial Data Design

What’s that building called? Google results are a bad proxy for colloquial names

The most prominent building on Providence’s skyline has many names. I tested out a few of them to see which versions had the most Google Search results:

Search term

Google results (K)

“industrial trust building” providence

204

“fleet bank building” providence

111

“industrial trust tower” providence

75.3

“111 westminster street” providence

47.8

“industrial trust company building” providence

43.5

“fleet building” providence

41.9

“superman building” providence

7.75

“fleet tower” providence

0.204

“fleet bank tower” providence

0.008

So the winner is “Industrial Trust Building”. That matches my perception of what the most official name is. But in my three months of experience in Providence, most people call it the “Superman Building“.

In conclusion: Google Search results are a better proxy for something’s official name than its colloquial name. You’re welcome.